


Across The River

by Pavonharten



Category: The OA (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon Compliant, Dimension Travel, Gen, Healing, London, Melanu Clinic, Mental Breakdown, Near Death Experiences, Psychological Trauma, San Francisco, netflix
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-06-27 02:58:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19781845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pavonharten/pseuds/Pavonharten
Summary: In this theoretical interpretation of The OA: Part 3, Hap adapts to life in dimension 3 as Jason Isaacs and devises a plan of action while OA/Brit is still trapped in a coma. The Crestwood Five struggle to reunite and come to terms with their arrival as Netflix executives panic, putting the show on hold and trying to maintain order. But with crowds of obsessive fans watching and an unreliable cast of actors in the wake of Brit's injury, the outcome doesn't look good. One fan is hospitalized for dissociative identity disorder. Another disappears, and one of the Crestwood Five doesn't seem to have traveled with the rest. Meanwhile in dimension 2, Karim is called to Melanu Clinic, where a pool of sedated teenagers is discovered, and Dr. Percy, Dr. Roberts, and Nina Azarova are all dead. Even stranger, Michelle Vu has been hospitalized with mental disturbances and now goes by another name...





	Across The River

**Author's Note:**

> This story is intended to be as faithful of an interpretation as possible for what could happen in Part 3. It involves most of the main cast (some playing fictionalized versions of their real-world selves), and some original characters.

A whirlwind of traffic, sirens, and roaring crowds greeted the band of eager teenage fans as they made the turn onto Milward Street. Melanie took a deep breath and grasped the steering wheel tighter. The mayhem outside was triggering her anxiety, and it wasn’t made much better by the presence of her friends. They were all devoted fans of _The OA_ , and none of them had shut up about the ghastly events surrounding the filming of Part 2 for days. As it was, Mel thought it rather disrespectful that anyone who called themselves a true fan would dare show up outside the hospital where the lead actress, Brit Marling, was recovering from a head injury. But her best friend Theodore had insisted.

Crammed into the back of her tiny Volkswagen Golf sat Jack and Miranda, their two other friends from school. Miranda blew bubbles with her gum while Jack eagerly took in the fanfare going on outside. Beside her in the passenger seat to the left, Theodore was setting up his next Grindr hookup. Mel grit her teeth and turned on the A/C as the traffic inched forward. Storm clouds were brewing overhead and the air outside was humid, threatening rain. And though she had begged everyone not to roll down the windows, of course they had anyway.

“What did I say about opening the goddamn windows? It’s hot as bollocks and you know crowds make me anxious!”

“Chill out, this is wicked fun!” Theodore laughed.

“And put your phone away.”

“Why? Let me just get a quick video, my followers aren’t going to believe this!”

“You’re not a bloody influencer Theo, no one cares.”

The boy proceeded to hold his phone out the open window. “Right everyone, so we’re here at Royal London Hospital! For all you non-Brits out there...am I allowed to say Brit or does that clash with her name?”

“Give me that!” Mel snapped, snatching the iPhone from his hand. “Right, this boy’s a douche, that boy in the back seat Jack, he’s a douche too, and Miranda...” The girl held up a middle finger. “Yeah, she’s cunt. And I resent being held prisoner against my will like some bloody ‘Haptive’, all because this lot thinks they’re going to see Brit fucking Marling-”

“I’ll take that back now, you need to drive. Seriously, give it back!”

“Fine, but we’re gridlocked,” Mel smirked. “Show that one to your Snapshit followers, I’m sure they’ll love it.”

“Maybe I’ll show them your hairy cunt instead,” Theodore giggled.

“You’re such a wanker. Why don’t you just jump out the fucking window if you’re that excited?” Mel grabbed her pack of cigarettes and dug one out. “Oh hey, look. It’s my lucky one. If I get my wish, maybe you three can travel to another dimension and I can just drive home.”

“You’re splitting that with me, I hope you know that,” Theo said as she lit up.

“Not a chance in hell.”

“You’re my fag hag.”

“BBA can be your fag hag, since you won’t shut up about her.”

“‘My boys!’” Theodore and Jack cried in unison.

“You people are bloody hopeless,” Mel smirked, tapping the gas. Rain drops began to splatter the windshield. “All right, windows up, you know the drill.

“Oh come on!” everyone pleaded.

“Before I drive this thing off a bridge and become the OA!”

“Wait, is that Jeremy?” Theodore gasped, poking his head out the window. “Hey, Jeremy!”

“Jeremy!” Jack repeated. Mel rolled her eyes as the lanky red-haired fellow approached the car.

“And what are you cunts doing here?” the teen smiled.

“We’re here to pay our tributes to the goddess that is Brit Marling, of course!” Theo grinned.

“You should come out of that stuffy car and join us! We packed a few sandwiches and drinks for the occasion. And roses, naturally.”

“You’re fucking brilliant, Jeremy,” Theo said. He kissed the boy on the lips and turned back to Mel. “Right love, so if it’s good with you, we’re going to get out for a bit and enjoy the fanfare.” Jack and Miranda were already getting out.

“You’re all seriously going to leave me here in this shit? What the hell do you want me to do? I can’t wait for you!”

Theodore opened the door. “Just uh...find a place to park around the corner, yeah? I know this isn’t your thing, so if you don’t want to join, we’ll meet you at Creams Cafe around 2:30.”

“Have fun with your stanning adventures,” Mel sighed as he kissed her on the cheek.

“Hey...you’re always my best girl.”

“Mmhmm.”

“Keep the cig, you deserve it.”

Theo pat her shoulder and left, shutting the door behind him. Mel turned the air off and inched forward again through the throngs of people as the flagger directed the cars up ahead. To her, everyone looked batshit crazy, performing the full sequence of Movements from the show and holding up homemade signs inscribed with such slogans as “Get Well, Brit Marling!” and “To Exist Is To Survive Unfair Choices”. Even though she had only seen the show once, she had to laugh. _It’s the first two Movements that heal her, idiots. You want to send her into the next dimension?_

Mel thought back to her binge watch of the show just a week prior. They had all sat around the coffee table smoking joints, sipping gin, and recalling their favorite scenes. Hers in particular had been the one of Homer and OA side by side in their underground cells, talking about planting a garden. The second was when Prairie and Abel were planting in their front yard in preparation to sell the house. Mel didn’t know anything about gardening either, but it made her smile to think of when she was a child. She and her grandfather would often plant lilacs in the park together. They were his favorite flower, and so they had become hers. For her tenth birthday, he’d bought her the prettiest dress with a purple floral pattern. She would twirl and twirl with lilacs in her hand, breathing in the rich scents as he filmed her and her father together, and they would all laugh before going off to the park to plant more. Her grandfather had passed away two weeks prior—ironically enough in a bathtub, just like Nina’s father.

Mel looked to the sky. The clouds overhead were growing darker. Blacker. _Cold_.

“And the rain comes...”

Tears of memory streamed down her face. She closed her eyes a moment at the feeling, breathing in the familiar scent of her lilac air freshener, letting it wash over her with the rhythm of the rain as it began to batter her windows. Then a sudden whisper came from deep in her mind that shook her to the core. A name.

_Ali._

Melanie slammed on the brakes.


End file.
